Carol Knudsen

Carol Sue Erickson Knudson Swenson, age 72, died December 20, 2019 at Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George Utah, after enduring long term kidney disease and kidney failure, combined at the end with systolic heart failure. She passed peacefully in her sleep during a short hospitalization. 

Carol was born February 10, 1947 in Grand Forks, ND to Junior Edmond and Grace Aileen (Seidl) Erickson, who later divorced.  Her mother remarried and she was adopted by her step-father, Robert Knudson in Sidney, Nebraska in the 50s. 

She married Devaux Ramsey Stewart in 1968 and they later divorced.  She married John Stephen Swenson in 1971 and they later divorced. 

Carol graduated from Granger High School on June 4, 1965.  She also attended Stevens Henager Secretarial College, Phoenix Transition Center for Women, and Utah Technical College.  Carol enjoyed life over the years working at many companies in various positions in Minnesota and Utah.  She was a legal secretary for a total of 26 years.  At age 65 she returned to school and furthered her education to become a medical transcriptionist.

In addition to putting in her 40+ hour work weeks, she volunteered for various causes important to her including the SLC Rape Crisis Center and the Beltrami, MN Humane Society.

She sang with the Sweet Adelines and found that barbershop harmony made her heart sing in a way that no other music had. 

In 2016 forces intervened and she married her beloved Granger High School classmate, Michael L. Dangerfield.  She moved to live with him in Santa Clara, UT.  There they made their home along with dogs and cats until Carol’s death.

She dearly loved all of her 750+ classmates from Granger High School and looked forward to each reunion every five years and other yearly gatherings.  She was involved in the planning and scheduling of every reunion from 1980 to 2010, plus hunting down classmates via telephone, mail and internet.  High school memories and classmates were precious to her, especially lifelong friends Jean Inselsberger Park, Linda Brown Cox, Kathi Thomson, and the Anderson sisters, Barbara Anderson Nelson, Donna Anderson Miller and Beverly Anderson Walker.  She continued to keep her high school sweethearts, John Solomon, Andy Mead, John Bush, David Jorgensen, and William Mecham, in her life as friends.

Carol read voraciously and there was never a time when she wasn’t in the middle of a terrific book. She always had another one ready to be started as soon as her current book was finished, because she felt lost without one to look forward to.  She also loved to crochet and made countless doilies and afghans for friends and families plus soft afghans for babies.

Dogs were her greatest interest and love.  Carol had a dog in her life from the time she was barely old enough to say “puppy”.  Over the years, her heart turned to rescuing, and during her involvement at Beltrami Humane Society she adopted many dogs whose outlooks were bleak. 

She is survived by her husband, Michael Dangerfield, three brothers, Robert Scott (Sue) Knudson of Bemidji, MN, Michael (Theresa) Erickson of Stillwater, MN, Kenneth Erickson of MT, and sister Pamela Erickson Bloomer of Baxter, MN.  She was predeceased by her father, adoptive father, mother, and brother Wesley Erickson.

Carol's memorial program photos

Carol's Graveside Service